Fewer and fewer people in Germany work more than 48 hours a week. 2022 was the lowest level since reunification. The main reason is the development in the number of self-employed.
Long working hours can become a burden for employees. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2022 8.3 percent of the 30 million full-time workers usually worked more than 48 hours a week. This is considered excessive working time. As the authority further reports, this was the lowest proportion since German unification in 1991.
In 2021, 8.9 percent of all full-time employees still had excessive working hours. On average, full-time employees worked 40.4 hours a week last year.
Fewer self-employed with long working hours
One reason for the low point in excessively long working hours is the development among the self-employed: According to the statisticians, more than a third of them were affected by excessively long working hours in 2022. However, the proportion has fallen to its lowest level since 1991.
However, among the self-employed who have employees or employees, almost half (48.2 percent) worked particularly long hours in 2022. According to the information, they also often finish work later than employees. 31.9 percent of the self-employed with employees worked regularly between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. in 2022. Among employees, it was only 14 percent and thus almost every seventh person.
Similar proportion for night work
The ratio was more balanced for night work from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Only 5.2 percent of the self-employed with employees and 4.6 percent of employees earned their money while others slept.